Definition

Magic is the manipulation of unseen forces to cause change in both
the realm in which we live and the realm of the unknown. Considered
alternately to be both a science and an art, it has been a word used down
through the centuries to describe the occurrences of many natural phenomena
that were not yet explained by science,such as certain herbs having a
healing affect, magnetism, the turning seasons of the crop, and the
elements.

History

Originating perhaps with the dawn of civilization.

Magic played an everyday part in the lives of people living close to the
land, as their survival depended on the health of their crops, and living
in harmony with the earth is a basic tenet of many of the modern revivals
of magic and witchcraft, such as Wicca and shamanism.
During the Renaissance period in Europe the appearance of secret society
and scholar-magicians brought a newer emphasis on the actual controlling
of the forces of nature by harnessing the power of both spirits/demons and
of the human mind, which gave rise to the popularity of cabala
, an ancient, esoteric Jewish system, and alchemy.
These scholars were perhaps the first scientists, attempting to discover
how the realm of the spiritual interacted with the realm of the physical
in order to cause drastic changes in tangible matter.

During this time, several secret societies flourished, such as The Knights
Templar, the Rose crucians, The Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn,
and many others, each surrounded by its own unique mysteries. The
tradition of secret societies has survived into the modern day with the
presence of organizations like The Freemasons and The Shriners, although
their beliefs are vastly different than those of the original alchemists.
Shrouded in secrecy , these societies enlisted several men who went on to
become great historical figures, like Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac
Newton. (see also: Newton
and
Flamel and Freemasonry)

Magic has experienced a vast reappearance in the 20th century with the
popularity of Aleister Crowley, who, consulting many of the ancient
systems,devised his own brand of ceremonial magic. He suggested the
spelling of the word "magic" be made with a "k" at the end to signify the
difference between stages how conjuring magic and serious occult magic,
and that device is used almost exclusively now in reference to the
occult.He is infamous for referring to himself as "The Great Beast", but
left behind a great following of serious students of the occult.

Methods

Practitioners of magic down through the ages have done so in a wide
variety of ways. Most often, there is a great deal of sombre ritual and
ceremonial performance, aimed at altering the magician's consciousness in
order to promote a conducive state for magic to take place. In the
earliest earth-based (pagan) religions, the seasons were celebrated, and
rituals were in a serious,but celebratory tone. The cunning women of
folk-medicine often had no elaborate ceremonies to follow, and only
practised the knowledge passed down through the generations of their
families. In more native religions, shamanistic magic is also very ritual
oriented, including many sacred objects and mind-altering experiences to
guide the shaman. Modern magic, too, depends heavily on ceremony and
ritual.

Objects included in magical workings (ancient and modern) often
include(d) knives (athames), swords, wooden wands, chalices, candles,
salt, various containers (for holding herbs, incense, water, wine and
other necessary items), writing instruments for drawing various magical
symbols, chalk formar king out the circle in which the ritual is
performed, bells, and other sacred objects. The magician wears clothing
that is designated for ritual purpose only, and often bathes before the
ritual in order to purify him/herself.

In legend

Magic has played an important part in most folklore and legend. In the major
pantheons, the gods and goddesses have been endowed with special magical
powers that afforded them great advantage over regular humans. In the legend
of King Arthur, Merlin, Morgan le Fay and the enchanted sword Excalibur
provided a rich fabric of magical legend. Homer's Circe used magic to turn
Odysseus's men into swine.
Grimms Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Andersen, and Aesop's Fables have been
much loved vehicles for magical story-telling. Most stories passed down
through native verbal story-telling traditions tell of magical beings and
places, often explaining the creation of the world, and why things are now
the way they are. Modern fantasy novels have carried the torch for human
kind's love for the fantastic, and we continue to see magic as the
intriguing and mysterious force behind mystical adventures that delight the
imagination.

by Lesa Whyte

In this section are described some of the beliefs, laws and practices
employed within the mysterious realm of magic. These descriptions are
presented to give the visitor some answers as to who still practices magic
and for what reasons.